Career and Education Opportunities for Copy Writers in Tallahassee, Florida

For those living in the Tallahassee, Florida area, there are many career and education opportunities for copy writers. Currently, 5,800 people work as copy writers in Florida. This is expected to grow 14% to about 6,620 people by 2016. This is not quite as good as the national trend for copy writers, which sees this job pool growing by about 14.8% over the next eight years. Copy writers generally write advertising copy for use by publication or broadcast media to promote sale of goods and services.

Copy writers earn approximately $22 per hour or $46,750 per year on average in Florida. Nationally they average about $25 per hour or $53,070 annually. Compared with people working in the overall category of Writing and Editing, people working as copy writers in Florida earn less. They earn less than people working in the overall category of Writing and Editing nationally. People working as copy writers can fill a number of jobs, such as: web content writer, communications specialist, and creative services director.

The Tallahassee area is home to nine schools of higher education, including two within twenty-five miles of Tallahassee where you can get a degree as a copy writer. The most common level of education for copy writers is a Bachelor's degree. You can expect to spend about four years training to become a copy writer if you already have a high school diploma.

CAREER DESCRIPTION: Copy Writer

In general, copy writers write advertising copy for use by publication or broadcast media to promote sale of goods and services.

Copy writers present drafts and concepts to clients. They also write advertising copy for use by publication, broadcast or internet media to promote the sale of goods and services. Equally important, copy writers have to edit or rewrite existing copy as needed, and submit copy for approval by supervisor. They are often called upon to confer with sales, media and marketing representatives to obtain data on product or service and consider style and length of advertising copy. They are expected to talk with clients about the product, advertising themes and methods, and any changes that should be made in advertising copy. Finally, copy writers write articles and other related informative, marketing and promotional material.

Every day, copy writers are expected to be able to read and understand documents and reports. They need to write clearly and communicate well.

It is important for copy writers to design advertising campaigns for a wide range of clients, working with an advertising agency's creative director and art director to establish the best way to present advertising data. They are often called upon to invent names for products and write the slogans that appear on packaging, brochures and other promotional material. Somewhat less frequently, copy writers are also expected to conduct research and interviews to establish which of a product's selling features should be promoted.

Copy writers sometimes are asked to vary language and tone of messages on the basis of product and medium. They also have to be able to inspect advertising trends and other data regarding marketing of goods and services to establish the best way to promote products And finally, they sometimes have to design advertising campaigns for a wide range of clients, working with an advertising agency's creative director and art director to establish the best way to present advertising data.

Like many other jobs, copy writers must be thorough and dependable and be reliable.

Similar jobs with educational opportunities in Tallahassee include:

Editorial Specialist. Perform variety of editorial duties, such as laying out, indexing, and revising content of written materials, in preparation for final publication.

Public Relations Specialist. Engage in promoting or creating good will for individuals, groups, or organizations by writing or selecting favorable publicity material and releasing it through various communications media. May prepare and arrange displays, and make speeches.

Radio and Television Announcer. Talk on radio or television. May interview guests, act as master of ceremonies, read news flashes, identify station by giving call letters, or announce song title and artist.

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES: Copy Writer Training

Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University - Tallahassee, FL

Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, , Tallahassee, FL 32307. Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University is a large university located in Tallahassee, Florida. It is a public school with primarily 4-year or above programs and has 11,672 students. Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University has a bachelor's degree and a master's degree program in Journalism which graduated forty-one and three students respectively in 2008.

Tallahassee Community College - Tallahassee, FL

Tallahassee Community College, 444 Appleyard Dr, Tallahassee, FL 32304-2895. Tallahassee Community College is a large college located in Tallahassee, Florida. It is a public school with primarily 2-year programs and has 14,048 students. Tallahassee Community College has a less than one year program in Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other Specialties.

LOCATION INFORMATION: Tallahassee, Florida

Tallahassee, Florida photo by Diligent Terrier

Tallahassee is located in Leon County, Florida. It has a population of over 171,922, which has grown by 14.1% over the last ten years. The cost of living index in Tallahassee, 89, is well below the national average. New single-family homes in Tallahassee are priced at $166,600 on average, which is far less than the state average. In 2008, three hundred new homes were built in Tallahassee, down from six hundred thirty-eight the previous year.

The three big industries for women in Tallahassee are educational services, public administration, and health care. For men, it is public administration, educational services, and accommodation and food services. The average commute to work is about 19 minutes. More than 45.0% of Tallahassee residents have a bachelor's degree, which is higher than the state average. The percentage of residents with a graduate degree, 19.8%, is higher than the state average.

The unemployment rate in Tallahassee is 7.1%, which is less than Florida's average of 11.3%.

The percentage of Tallahassee residents that are affiliated with a religious congregation, 37.6%, is less than both the national and state average. Abundant Life Foursquare Church, Advent Episcopal Church and Aftermath Church are among the churches located in Tallahassee. The most common religious groups are the Southern Baptist Convention, the Catholic Church and the United Methodist Church.

Tallahassee is home to the Miracle Plaza and the Tallahassee Community College Library as well as Old Fort Park and Alfred B Maclay Gardens State Park. Shopping malls in the area include Northwood Mall, Parkway Shopping Center and Tallahassee Mall. Visitors to Tallahassee can choose from Cactus Motel, Best Western Pride Inn Suites and Budget Inn for temporary stays in the area.